The Abnormality Of The Normality

'We are going to win this'

We spend the journey to Hayley's in silence. She drives us to her own house, the one she had taken me to when we had first met. Hayley turns to me and asks me "Do you remember where the bedroom is?" Another blush creeps up my face as I register what she just asked me. She quickly realises herself and rushes as she adds, "So you can get changed into something more comfortable." I shake my head no, so she begins to lead me upstairs.

I stop before the stairs looking at the painting of whom I now knew to be Hayley and her mother. I turn to Hayley and watch as her smile slowly disappears. "I saw your mother when I was in my coma, She led me back to consciousness. What happened to her?" My confession and question catch her off guard. She smiled but it wasn't a happy one. It was one full of sadness.

She takes me by the hand and continues to take me up the stairs not saying a word. When we reach the bedroom, she walks me over to the bed, lets go of my hand and sits down. I copy her and sit next to her. I take her hand back in mine and lean towards her more to show that I was ready to listen.

"My mother had me when she turned 25. She had a healthy pregnancy for the most part. Her waters broke 2 weeks early and I was born 5 hours after she went into labor. My mother suffered a postpartum hemorrhage minutes after my birth. I lived whilst my mother died. She only got to hold me the once. My father has always blamed me for her death." Her voice cracks. "He always tells me he wishes I had died and she had lived." With that last part she begins to cry in front of me. I pull her towards me and wrap my arms around her, letting her mourn for her mother. I didn't say anything, just held her there.

After a while, she leans back and wipes her eyes. "Did she say anything to you?" She asks. I shake my head no as I answer her "All she said was that her name was Irene Johnson. She looked just like you. She was beautiful and brought me back to you." A final tear falls down her face and I catch it with my thumb. I look into her chestnut brown eyes getting lost in them before glancing down to her lips, then back up to her eyes. Even after crying this woman managed to look beautiful. I watch as her eyes mimic mine, quickly glancing down at my lips then back to my eyes. She is biting her lip slightly, clearly nervous again. This time I don't wait for her. I close the space between us as our lips interlock. It is a simple kiss but passionate. I had never felt this kind of passion from Jack.

Within this one kiss I find myself remembering different things from within the last month. I remember tipping my drink down her. I remember her kissing me after I showed her the picture. I remember her kissing me and then holding me close when I had seen her about to cut her arm. I hold her closer as she deepens the kiss. I remember going with Arthur and meeting Johnny at the café. I then begin to remember seeing Jack again. I remember the rope and the beatings. I remember how hungry I had felt and I remember hearing the doorbell ring. I remember standing at the window and I remember collapsing to the floor in pain and I remember looking up and seeing Hayley at the door.

I find myself crying as I remember the pain I had been in. My chest burns as the vivid memories come back to me.

Hayley pulls back from the kiss and looks at me, concern taking over her face as I wipe "Al," her voice softens as she asks me "What's wrong?" I don't answer her so she drops it for now, "Okay, well I'm going to go start on dinner, there should be a towel in the bathroom if you want a shower, there's some clean clothes in the wardrobe, I'll see you downstairs." She turns and begins to make her way to the door.

My next question catches even myself off-guard. "Do you regret it?" Hayley stops dead in her tracks and spins on her heel to face me. "Regret what?" I have been wondering it for a while but never thought I would get the courage to ask her. "The first time we kissed." My question hits her like a ton of bricks.

"Al, Is that really what you think? You think I regret kissing you?" Her voice has cracked and I can tell she's struggling to compose herself in front of me without having a breakdown so I let her continue. "Alex, kissing you that day was one of the best decisions I have ever made before. I knew that you're married and so does my father. We argued when I told him what had happened. He advised me to stay away. I thought I was helping you. Staying away from you was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I wish I hadn't of because then you wouldn't have had to go through what you did."

This was one of the first times she has mentioned what had happened to me. I walk towards her and look her dead in the eye. "Hayley, It was not your fault. You mustn't blame yourself." Tears thought their way to my eyes but I blink them away, I have to be strong for us both.

A phone call interrupts us, making us both jump. I follow Hayley as we walk to the study and she answers the phone.

Hayley: Hello?

......

Hayley: Okay yeah, she's here, I'll pass you over.

"It's for you Al." She passes the receiver to me and I listen to the voice on the other end of the phone.

Me: Umm, Hello? Alex speaking.

Them: Hi Alex, This is Jennifer Briggs. I'm Hayley's families attorney. Jack has decided to take you to court but don't worry, I think we have a good chance of winning.

Me: If you're their attorney, why are you helping me?

Jennifer: Hayley called me yesterday morning, She explained the situation to me. I believe we have a really good chance of beating him.

Me: Is there anything I need to do? When is the court date?

Jennifer: No, everything is in order. It will be September 17th.

Me: That's only two weeks away.

Jennifer: I know, there is something actually, Can you take pictures every morning of your injuries? He's claiming self defense. The jury and judge won't have a choice but to take your side with all this evidence.

Me: Okay, I'll do that. I'll see you on the 17th.

Jennifer: Okay, I look forward to representing you. Take care and remember Alex, We are going to win this. I have to go but I will see both you and Hayley in two weeks time. Goodbye Alex.

Me: bye.

I put the phone down and explain to Hayley what Jennifer had said. She wraps me in a tight hug before going to start on dinner.